Strasbourg vs Le Havre: Ligue 1 Prediction (18.05.2025)

In the early hours of Sunday, 18 May at 02:00 WIB, at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg, the local football club will host Le Havre in the final match of the 34th round of the 2024–2025 French Ligue 1 season. Strasbourg currently sits in sixth place but still has a chance to finish as high as fourth to qualify for the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. At the same time, they risk missing out on European competitions altogether if they lose. For the visitors, only a win is acceptable. They are currently 16th, which leads to relegation playoffs, but dropping points in this match risks direct relegation to the second division.

We make a prediction for the Strasbourg – Le Havre match, considering the high tournament motivation of both teams, although bookmakers clearly favor the home side. Betting on a Strasbourg win is offered at odds of 1.60, a draw at 4.70, and a Le Havre win at 5.10. The total goals over 2.5 is priced at 1.56, meaning experts expect a relatively high-scoring game. Both teams to score bets come with odds of 1.64.

Strasbourg

Liam Rosenior and his squad missed a great chance last round to secure a Champions League spot. The “blue and whites” ended an impressive 12-match unbeaten streak with a 1–2 away loss to modest Angers. The team’s goal difference is worse than Nice and Lille, so even with a win, Strasbourg may remain in a “consolation” sixth place. Without injured Emanuel Emegha, it seems the team struggles to launch sharp attacks. Against Angers, the coach had to field a rather experimental attacking lineup that failed to deliver.

Le Havre

But can Didier Digard surprise his opponent? His team’s attack is quite toothless. On average, they score 1.12 goals per game while conceding 2.09. In recent rounds, the “sky-dark blues” have even surprised some by taking points from Monaco (1–1) and beating Auxerre away (2–1). But is it too late? In the previous round, motivated Marseille easily dismantled the “dragons” on their home turf 3–1. The only question is how motivated Le Havre will be in the last game of the season.

Statistics and head-to-head meetings

Since 2023, the teams have met four times, with Strasbourg leading 3–1 in wins. In the first round of the current season, Strasbourg easily proved their superiority with a 3–0 away win.

Prediction

The hosts had an impressive unbeaten streak which was ended, complicating their battle for a Champions League spot—if they haven’t given up on it entirely. However, it’s hard to believe the club intends to miss out on European competitions altogether. Therefore, we bet on a Strasbourg win at 1.60.